The Bahá'í Community of Aurora, ON, Canada

Naw-Rúz (literally meaning “new day”) is the Bahá'í New Year festival that takes place on the spring equinox (i.e. March 20th) and symbolizes new life and rejuvenation. It also is the first day of the first month in the Bahá'í calendar.

Naw-Rúz is usually observed with meetings for prayer and celebration. The festival is often combined with a feast as the sunset before Naw-Rúz signals the end of a nineteen day fasting period.

During Naw-Rúz, time is spent visiting friends and relatives and exchanging gifts. Naw-Rúz is one of the nine Bahá'í holy days on which work is suspended.